Opinion
Best, Yann
News
1 Reuters:
Trump's likely first moves on US energy policy
2 NPR:
How batteries are already changing the grid
3 Axios:
Southern California faces rare fire warning
4 PV-Magazine:
Global cleantech investment expected to surpass fossil fuels for the first time in 2025
5 Bloomberg:
European Power Prices Rise as Wind Forecast Is Revised Down
6 PV-Tech:
Waaree Energies acquires Enel Green Power India
7 Renewable Energy World:
PJM all over again? Changes at MISO signal potential for high prices at upcoming capacity auction
8 Utility Dive:
Will the success of Biden’s clean energy policies impede Trump’s agenda?
Opinions:
9 Energy Storage News:
Year in Review - EPC Burns & McDonnell on energy storage innovation, workforce and Trump
Have a great day!
Yann
The Mega Power. Constellation is acquiring Calpine for $16billion to create a portfolio of 60GW and adds quite a bit of thermal power to Constellation’s fleet. There’s an expectation that regulators will want some divestiture to limit concentration but with the demand for power, regulators will likely also be sensitive to the pushback on anything limiting power generation.
Opinion
News
1 Utility Dive:
Constellation’s $16.4B purchase of Calpine would create largest US power generator
2 Bloomberg:
In Hottest Year Ever, US Homes Used a Record Amount of Power to Keep Cool
3 Axios:
Climate change plays key contributing role in LA fires
4 Solar Power World:
Scale Microgrids acquired by investment firm
5 NPR:
People are rushing to install solar panels before Trump becomes President
6 PV-Tech:
The top 10 PV module suppliers in 2024
7 Renewable Energy World:
Polysilicon is back on the menu - Feds award Michigan company $325M for new factory
8 Canary Media:
Chart - 96 percent of new US power capacity was carbon-free in 2024
9 PV-Magazine:
The impact of wildfires on PV power generation
Opinions:
10 Reuters:
German coal plants vital for electricity supply, importers say
Have a great day!
Yann
Is Texas Right? It’s always been a wind state, now at 42GW, but the past few years it’s been the sunny star of solar and storage with 22GW and 6.5GW respectively. Is it the development process? The ERCOT mechanics? Lack of capacity markets? Or just the growth of demand for energy. We know it’s not the politics so it’s something else, what is that and can we replicate it?
LA Fires. My thoughts go out to any of you affected by the fires in the LA area, it is an unimaginable horror to see how devastating those fires have been. If you know of legitimate aid or fundraising efforts that I can pass along to the SolarWakeup community, please reach out to me
Opinion
News
1 Reuters:
Texas tops US states for renewable energy and battery capacity
2 Axios:
Wildfires and hurricanes could make parts of U.S. uninsurable
3 New York Times:
U.S. Efforts to Cut Emissions Stalled in 2024 as Power Demand Surged
4 PV-Tech:
LS Power acquires Algonquin Power’s renewable energy business
5 Renewable Energy World:
Puerto Rico’s new governor appoints an energy czar to tackle the island’s power crisis
6 Utility Dive:
PJM ‘shovel-ready’ interconnection plan draws mixed reviews at FERC
7 Energy Storage News:
Illinois Senator passes legislation to ramp up energy storage
8 Canary Media:
PosiGen wins another $200M for lower-income rooftop solar
9 PV-Magazine:
Hemlock Semiconductor receives $325 million U.S. government funding for polysilicon production
Opinions:
10 Bloomberg:
How a Utility Actually Sets the Price of Electricity
Have a great day!
Yann
Taking Inventory. Imagine for a moment that we don’t all work in solar and/or storage and we need to assess the rising need for energy by the hyper scaling data center build out. There is a need for energy, power, density, and reliability while solving for clean and cheap. Now do it as fast as possible. The exercise is a bit like the old adage about wanting it cheap, fast and high quality. You can only have 2 of the 3. That’s how I think about the data center need, the pipeline of generation is easily tilted towards solar with cheap and clean a clear winner. With batteries, reliability also takes a victory on this front but density can be challenging. Will there be a mix? For sure, gas will likely play a role but speed of execution is a key aspect of this exercise and also the opportunity where regulation could make a giant impact if government wants to get involved to win the AI data center dominance on the global scale.
Opinion
News
1 Bloomberg:
Gas Power Won’t Provide an Easy Fix for AI Boom
2 New York Times:
What We Know About the Wildfires Raging in Southern California
3 Axios:
Treasury issues tech-neutral tax credit rules
4 Reuters:
Key solar themes to track after torrid 2024 for investors
5 PV-Tech:
European module prices continue to decline in December, says sun.store in latest pv.index report
6 Energy Storage News:
US-China battery trade war looms with AD/CVD case and export curb proposals
7 Canary Media:
Biden’s clean hydrogen tax credits are officially decided — for now
8 PV-Magazine:
Oversized solar farm keeps lights on until midnight
Opinions:
9 Utility Dive:
9 US electric power sector issues to watch in 2025
Have a great day!
Yann
